FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – In a win they needed to have, the Marian University women's volleyball team got it. Behind a career-high 17 kills from senior Kathryn Braunling on .500 hitting, the Sabres scratched their way to a five-set victory over visiting Rockford on Senior Day, inside Sadoff Gymnasium, this afternoon, Oct. 18.

Braunling made the most of her final home game in a Sabre uniform with a career-high 17 kills on 32 attacks, recording a .500 hitting percentage to lead the Sabres (9-16, 5-4 NACC). Sophomore Jessica Roberts also added 17 kills, while Catelyn Brehm chipped in 12. Freshman Amber Baker dished out 43 assists and junior Katrina Jansen dug out 17 to lead three in double figures.

Marian badly needed the win in order to keep its conference tournament hopes alive and turned it on in the final set after letting the fourth set slip away. The win moved the Sabres into a tie for the sixth and final tournament spot with two regular season games left to play.

In the first set, Rockford (8-16, 1-8 NACC) came out swinging. The Regents registered a .370 hitting percentage with 11 kills against just one error. Five Regents totaled multiple kills in the first set alone. The Sabres didn't go quietly, though, totaling 16 kills on .195 hitting, while coming away with three service aces to take the set, 25-21.

Rockford came back in the second set and hit over .225, while forcing the Sabres into 13 errors. It was too much for Marian to overcome and it dropped the set by a score of 25-21.

The Sabres put forth a more convincing effort in the third with Roberts and Brehm each totaling four kills to go along with two aces. Marian trailed only briefly, but regained the lead early at 4-3 and never looked back en route to a 25-18 victory.

With the opportunity to close it out, the Regents buckled down. Rockford forced the Sabres into another set of 13 errors and took full advantage on the way to a 25-22 win, culminating into a final set to 15 points.

The Sabres came out strong in the fifth as Braunling hammered away five kills on eight attacks. Rockford used both of its timeouts in the first half of the set, trailing 7-4 at the time of their final break. However, the Regents were unable to regroup and the Sabres brought home the clinching 15-9 set victory.

Marian will have its hands full in the next match as it travels to Mequon to take on Concordia Wisconsin (19-5, 8-1 NACC), which features just one conference loss this season. The Falcons, who have won 9-of-10, clinched a spot in the NACC tournament on Friday.

The Sabres and Falcons will meet Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m.